Judge convicts Kansas man of killing 6 women

March 27, 2008 4:01:11 PM PDT

By DAVID TWIDDY Associated Press Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - March 27, 2008 --

A judge convicted a man Thursday of killing six women whose bodies were dumped in an area frequented by prostitutes and drug dealers. Terry Blair, 46, was found guilty of six counts of first-degree murder in the 2004 slayings. He had agreed to be tried before a judge instead of jury in return for prosecutors agreeing not to pursue the death penalty.

Prosecutors described Blair as calculating and determined to kill as many prostitutes as he could. Two of the women had been strangled, but the causes of death of the other women could not be determined because their bodies had decomposed so badly.

Prosecutors showed that Blair's semen was found on the body of victim Sheliah McKinzie and presented evidence they said showed Blair may have been the one who called 911 to tell police where to find the bodies of victims.

Blair has denied involvement in the killings and his defense attorneys said the evidence against him was weak and circumstantial. For example, they said the semen found on McKinzie proves Blair had sex with her, but not that he killed her.

Charges against Blair in two other slayings - those of Nellia Harris, 33, and Sandra Reed, 47 - were dismissed in October. Harris, unlike the other victims, was killed in 2003.

Blair also had been charged in three rapes and an assault that involved four victims who survived their attacks. Those charges also were dropped.

Blair was arrested in September 2004 when he was on parole for the 1982 murder of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Angela Monroe, who was the mother of two of his children. He had served 21 years in prison.